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Friday, March 15, 2013

This question comes from a reader of our blog, Jill. "I want to put honed black absolute counters in my kitchen but am concerned about the fingerprints. I am happy to wipe the counters often if I have to if there's a cleaner that will do the trick. Do you have a one to suggest? Does a color enhancing sealer show less fingerprints?"

I always suggest using a color enhancing sealer when Absolute Black granite is honed. Mainly because of the coloring, it's goes pretty grey when it's honed. By using the color enhancing sealer it brings the black back out.
Here's a picture of a piece of Absolute Black that we honed. The left side does not have any sealer on it, the right side has one coat of Enrich N Seal Color Enhancing Sealer.

The other reason I strongly recommend using color enhancing sealer is for the fingerprints. When Absolute Black granite is honed every single fingerprint will show and look like a gross, greasy fingerprint if the granite does not have a color enhancing sealer on it. With the color enhancing sealer you won't have too big of a problem with fingerprints.

I recommend using Rock Doctor Granite Cleaner or Method Granite Cleaner on honed granite. It's what I use on the honed granite and honed limestone in my own home. They both do a great job at cleaning up any fingerprints that do occur and do a great job cleaning the countertops in general. Bonus....I like how they smell. :)

For more information about color enhancing sealer go here.
To read more about honing and other surface textures for stones go here.
You can also read my Stone Care & Maintenance Guide here.

4 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I have recently decided on going with a honed absolute black in my kitchen in Southern California. Originally I wanted soapstone until I found out that it costs $30 sq. Ft. In my area installed. I am wondering what questions I should be asking the seller. He mentioned something about an impregnating sealer but also mentioned a color enhancer. From what I've read online, these are not the same and shouldn't be used together on honed absolute black.. is this correct? Should I be asking questions about where the stone was quarried?

You said that you have honed granite in your own home. Is it absolute black and if so do you find that it's a nightmare to keep clean like so many others have said they do?

I recommend using a color enhancing sealer, it will bring the color back into the stone and make fingerprints much less noticeable.$30.00 a sq foot is a BARGAIN for installed Soapstone, I'd go with that if that was the price!I have two different honed stones in my home. Neither are Absolute Black though. I have no maintenance issues at all though. I love the honed, it's actually what I prefer on almost any stone.

Is there a sealer that you can use to prevent fingerprints that does not change the color? What I like most about the honed black (I'm considering honed black pearl) is how gray, and not black, it is. But I'm very very concerned about staining/fingerprints/watermarks/oil stains/lemon stains. My unsealed sample definitely shows fingerprints.

We try to focus on the design aspect of stone here on this blog and in our work every day.

Our goal on this blog is to provide you with a little more information about the stone world, design inspiration, our opinions, our experience, beautiful photos and maybe a few fun facts along the way.

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